


Beneath the Snowfall and Stars With You

by YourSunset



Category: RWBY
Genre: Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, F/F, Love Confessions, background Bumblebee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:40:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 19,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24686257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourSunset/pseuds/YourSunset
Summary: It’s Christmas Eve, and Vale is celebrating its annual Starlight Festival! Ruby asks Weiss out for an evening in the town, an innocent date which Weiss agrees to eagerly. Little does the innocent Rose know, however, of the flame that she ignited in the heart of the Ice Queen long ago, and the wish that she made upon a star…
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee
Comments: 14
Kudos: 108





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time both writing fan-fiction specifically and posting here on this site, so I hope things turn out okay and that the formatting isn't all wonk, and sorry if I missed any tags. I hope you all enjoy and be safe out there.

For Weiss there weren’t many holidays she would look forward to during the year. Frankly, most of them were a bother to the girl, though she was well aware of the circumstances that lead to that.

For the Schnee family, most holidays consisted of boring dinners that were hosted by the family simply to favor the company’s reach in both the political and corporate worlds. Even Thanksgiving was a holiday Weiss felt was best left omitted in her list of yearly occasions to give precedence to, the girl simply couldn’t find any sort of gratitude to bequeath unto an individual in her life, save for her elder sister of course. Simply put, holidays were just not something Weiss found herself excited over.

At least, that was the case until she joined Team RWBY. It was no surprise that Ruby and Yang, the energetic, outgoing and fun party loving members of the group (with some help from Blake), had roped Weiss into celebrating many occasions and holidays with them, ultimately breaking her uncompromising stance that holidays are best spent alone and foregoing the jolly spirit.

From that, Weiss had learned that holidays were meant for the contrary, time spent together with others and enjoying the moment. This was something that Ruby had taken extra care to teach her, often taking the time out to plan days for everyone to be able to spend time together during the holidays, something Weiss had grown to become grateful for. Now the year is approaching its climactic end, and a certain holiday is just one day away on the calendar.

Weiss sat silently in the teams shared dorm room at the desk studying as the scent of hot chocolate dressed the air while the radiator kept the atmosphere akin to a warm incubator of sorts. She adjusted her glasses and turned the page of the textbook she was _trying_ to review.

Instead, she found herself constantly distracted by her thoughts as her mind wandered to other topics. It was Christmas Eve and she hadn’t thought of a gift to get Ruby. Getting Blake and Yang a gift was fairly simple, the new Ninjas in Love in Hardcover as well as a promise to order the next few books for Blake and a tune up and full check-up for Yang’s bike.

But it was different when it came to getting something for the Ruby. She didn’t want to do something simple like buy her a bunch of upgrades for her weapon, even though she knows that would please the younger girl greatly. She wanted to get her something _special_ , something sentimental and from the heart that money couldn’t simply buy. However, there was one small problem...

“What even _is_ sentimentality when it comes to gifts?...” Weiss mumbled, her words intermingling with a frustrated sigh. She was stuck, and she knew exactly why. She wanted to impress the girl she loved.

Yes, _loved_. It had taken Weiss a while to admit it to herself, but after many talks with both Blake and Pyrrha about her feelings to better understand them, speaking to Yang about how she felt (and subsequently receiving her blessing to make a move, might Weiss proudly add!), having a few revelations here and there as well as occasions of existential clarity, she had no choice but to admit to herself that she unequivocally and without a doubt, loved Ruby Rose.

She wasn’t quite sure what it was. Was it her innocent childish nature that Weiss felt so robbed of as a child whom was forced to bear the burden of the Schnee name? Maybe it was the freedom that Ruby had represented, a freedom that Weiss had longed for? Or perhaps it was simply her carnal instincts, driven purely by the girl’s beauty that caused her to slowly fall in love with the young Rose, loathsome as she would be to admit such a thing.

Either way, be it her pure nature, the freedom she symbolized or her beauty, there was something that so unquestionably drew her to the beloved Rose. All of these questions Weiss had, yet nothing could bring forth the answers she sought, the thought of such eliciting a sigh of frustration from her. Perhaps her Christmas wish of having Ruby Rose as her lover was more far off than she had imagined...

“Perhaps it’s best not to brood on such topics if I can’t find an answer after the umpteenth time.” Deciding to file the questions for another round of internal scrutiny later, Weiss tried to return to the original plan of figuring out what to do for Ruby, when all too suddenly...

“Weiss~!” A cheerful voice sang out as the door to the room opened up, Ruby entering in with her trademark gleaming grin.

 _“So much for studying.”_ Weiss groaned inwardly, though her outward appearance shared no sign of her inner frustrations. Truthfully, she was grateful for the distraction, for after stealing a quick glance at the clock she noticed it was 6 PM, meaning she was at it for a few hours at least with both studying and brooding on her problems. Weiss took off her glasses and put them onto the table before turning to face her partner.

“Yes, Ruby? You seem cheerful. Holiday spirit, I presume?” Weiss smiled at the younger girl as she nodded excitedly and clasped her hands behind herself and swayed from the tips of her toes to the ball of her heel, her grin showing no signs of dying out. The sight made Weiss’s heart melt, there wasn’t anything she loved in all of Remnant quite as much as Ruby’s smile.

While growing up she’d learned how to spot the true intent hidden behind one’s grin, a skill honed from having to unfortunately deal with various suitors her father had tried to push onto her at an early age. Behind Ruby’s smile there was nothing but pure innocence, happiness and, if Weiss were to be honest, a bit of innocuous mischievousness.

“Starlight Festival!” Ruby joyfully exclaimed, clasping her hands in front of her as a spark of joy twinkled in her silver eyes. Weiss tilted her head, turning to face Ruby completely in her chair.

“Starlight Festival?” Weiss inquired, clearly and visibly unaware of what Ruby was talking about, causing Ruby to gasp and back up slightly while placing a hand on her chest.

“You don’t know about the Starlight Festival!?” Ruby stepped forward and leaned in closer to Weiss, their noses just inches away from one another, bringing to a shade of red Weiss’s otherwise alabaster pale cheeks.

 _“She’s so cute... And close enough to… W-woah, woah! Get a hold of yourself, Weiss!”_ She admonished herself mentally, opting to shake her head in response to Ruby’s question. Ruby backed away from Weiss and spread her arms out wide, Weiss’s heart silently thanking the gods for the moments reprieve.

“It’s a big celebration that happens in Vale every year on Christmas Eve!” Ruby pumped her fists in front of her. “We should totally go! Just you and... Oh.” Ruby’s excitement was much like a roller-coaster, it went up high and suddenly, very visibly, it dropped all the way down, with Weiss seeming to be the passenger as she felt her own heart drop from the sight.

“You were studying... Sorry ‘bout that.” Ruby stuck her tongue out slightly while rubbing the back of her head with a small smile. “I didn’t notice, I guess I got too excited, heheh...” Weiss shook her head while smiling.

“It’s fine. I’ve come to expect it from you by this point, dolt.” She scolded playfully, causing Ruby to pout and clasp her hands together behind herself again, returning to the rocking back and forth she was doing previously.

“I’d ask Blake and Yang, but they’re off doing their own thing together.” Ruby said softly, eyes drifting upward in thought while Weiss simply nodded. Wait… _That was it!_

 _“I can take her out for the evening! Maybe a nice restaurant and perhaps a movie if she’d like. It’ll just be the two of us... M-Maybe I can tell her how I feel?”_ A plan was suddenly starting to come together, and Weiss couldn’t be happier. Perhaps she could sneak out earlier and try to find something for her as a gift as well? The possibilities were starting to look boundless!

“Ahh!” Ruby suddenly exclaimed softly, face lighting up as if she came up with some sort of idea. She snapped her finger and said happily: “I can ask Jaune to hang out for the Starlight Festival!”

At that, Weiss’s eyes widened like saucers as she stood up and slammed her hand on the desk, causing Ruby to jump back and yelp. “ACTUALLY!” She exclaimed with a knitted brow. The thought of Ruby and Jaune together on what should be a romantic evening, going through the town together, sampling both foreign and local delights, having dinner together and maybe even holding hands perhaps...

 _“No way! Not gonna happen!”_ Weiss looked back to Ruby, who was still curled in her little ball of surprise and fear, blinking while waiting for her to speak up. Weiss cleared her throat and put a hand on her hip. “I am free this evening. I was studying, but I had already planned on stopping before you came in.” Her eyes softened as a smile spread across her cheeks. “I’d love to go out for the evening with you, Ruby.”

“R-Really? Awesome!” Ruby beamed and twirled in place, clearly squelching her worries of finding someone to spend the evening with. Weiss, all the while, couldn’t help but shake her head at her partner’s antics. “I can’t wait!” Ruby exclaimed, giving Weiss a thumbs up as she turned and stepped out the door.

“W-Wait, Ruby!” Weiss called out, stopping the younger girl in her tracks before she turned around to face her. “B-Be sure to wear something good this evening.” Ruby tilted her head, visibly confused by the request. Weiss felt her face flush as a tinge of pink sprinkled her pale cheeks, her brows furrowed as she crossed her arms.

“I’ll be taking you out on the evening, s-so... I want to take you out to dinner. Be sure to dress appropriately! And be here by 8 PM sharp.” She left it at that, staring at Ruby with bated breath, waiting for her response to the request. Ruby smiled warmly.

“Okay, it’s a date! See you at 8, Princess!” Happily, did Ruby exclaim her acceptance for the request before leaving the room, and subsequently, a completely taken aback Schnee. Did she hear just right?

“D-D-Date?!” Weiss exclaimed with her mouth ajar. Not only did she get to ask her crush out for what seemed to be a big celebration in town, the most beautiful girl in Remnant (To her at any rate) just called it a date! Weiss couldn’t help but run to her bed, stuff her face into her pillow and let out a squeal of joy before jumping up and pacing the room.

“Okay, I gotta call for a reservation for the restaurant immediately, then get ready! Oh my goodness what to wear what to wear...”

Immediately, Weiss went into what Yang would call “Boring mode”, where she planned everything meticulously and down to the last minute detail, but she couldn’t help it! Everything had to be perfect, especially if she wanted to admit her true feelings to the girl. With her goal in mind, Weiss was on her way to setup for the evening.

________________________

“Where is she…”

Weiss mumbled, checking her wristwatch while tapping the toe of her boot on the floor impatiently. It was 8:10… Ruby was late. Though if she were honest to herself, Weiss knew that the fact should come as no surprise to her. It’s what she _should_ have expected, all things considered. The dolt was never good at time management, though she would always attribute that to her claims of being “fashionably late”.

Needing to do _something_ to distract her from her growing annoyance, she stepped in front of the full body mirror to give herself another look over for what had become the umpteenth time to ensure that she looked presentable for the evening.

Weiss had opted to keep her hair down, giving it some tender love and care for it to have more volume. She wanted to forego the usual side ponytail for something more special and different, to spice up the evening so to speak.

To compliment the endeavor, she wore a black long sleeve lace top with a white cardigan over it, a pair of white tights and ankle-high heeled boots. She completed the look with some pink blush, black eyeshadow and eyeliner, soft pink lip gloss and some silver hoop earrings. A simple outfit and simple makeup that complimented each piece perfectly.

“Maybe I should call her…” Weiss said those words betwixt a worried sigh, and before she could reach for her scroll, a few knocks came from the closed door of the room. Before she knew it, Weiss was already at the door, pulling it open in hopes that it was her “fashionably late” partner and date…

“I’m so sorry Weiss… I got caught up with something…”

Ruby apology came from a soft, gentle voice, meeting Weiss’s widened pale blues with her apologetic silvers. Weiss however was too entranced to respond, her eyes instead spanned Ruby’s attire and look. _“Perhaps Ruby wasn’t lying when she spoke about being fashionably late…”_ Weiss couldn’t help but think to herself.

The young girl wore a red turtleneck sweater with sleeves that were a tad too long for her arms, lending a cute and innocent look as she grasped onto the tips with her fingers. She also had a black pencil skirt that just reached her knees with black leggings underneath and a pair of black boots. That wasn’t what truly caught her eye, however…

“You did make-up…” Accentuating her features was a shade of red lip gloss, coupled with a tinge of black eye shadow, black eyeliner and mascara. She even had some diamond shaped ruby-red dangling earrings on and had painted her nails red for the occasion.

Weiss was utterly surprised. Ruby had mentioned on more than one occasion that she hated wearing make-up, the feeling of the tackiness that lip gloss left behind as well as not being able to really touch your face without fear of smudging anything always bothered her. But here she was, dolled up for the evening.

 _“I told her to look nice but I didn’t expect this. She looks… Gorgeous. Breathtaking…”_ Amidst the silence that befell Weiss, Ruby began to shrink into herself a bit with her own small blush on her cheeks…

“Weiss? You’re staring…” Ruby’s hands cupped together behind herself as her gaze shifted to the floor, her lips pulled into the slightest of frowns as she demurely drew a circle on the floor with the toe of her boot. “D-does it look bad…?”

Weiss, being violently pulled out of her _very_ gay thoughts, blinked hard as she returned to reality like a crash landing. “N-No! It doesn’t, it..” She sighed and shook her head with a small smirk. “You look amazing, Ruby. I’m just stunned, that’s all.” To that, Ruby lit up like a Christmas tree with a grin to match.

“R-Really?! Thank you, Weiss!” She chirped, stepping aside for Weiss to leave after she grabbed her pea coat and purse from the coat rack next to the dorm door. “You look really pretty too, but you always do so that’s no surprise. And I really like your hair down, you should wear it like that more often!”

Weiss couldn’t help but smile at the series of compliments as her heart practically did flips. _“She likes it… The extra effort for my hair hasn’t gone to the wayside!”_ Weiss celebrated inwardly while offering her verbal thanks to the young Rose. “Thank you, Ruby. Suffice to say, you look immaculate as well. Shall we?”

Nodding emphatically, Ruby stepped to Weiss’s side and linked her arm with hers, causing the latter to stiffen up as her eyes widened like saucers. _“Oh gods, she linked arms with me… What do I do, what do I say? Normally I’d tell her to let go, but…”_

Weiss found herself spiraling into a love-induced panic as she looked down at Ruby who was smiling happily at her. Her heart melted at the scene, but she wouldn’t be outdone, that word just didn’t exist in the lexicon of Weiss Schnee. Returning the smile, Weiss began down the hallway with Ruby, arms linked while they both smiled and talked about this, that and anything that came to mind.

“Did you see that? Were they just linked by the arm?!”

“They’re just super close friends, no?”

“Maybe they’re dating? Leave them alone, you ass…”

“Did that shrimp seriously manage to snag _the_ Weiss Schnee!?”

“I doubt it, she probably just pities the girl.”

Every comment and quiet gibe fostered within Weiss a strong desire to punch each person in the face. “Pay them no mind, Ruby.” She mumbled in a voice dripping with malice as her eyes rolled. _“I swear to dust if they end up ruining her good mood, I’ll run them through with Myrtenaster myself.”_

“It’s okay, Weiss…” Ruby started with a smile, before turning her head around to look over her shoulders. “They’re all just jealous!” She yelled out at the crowd before sticking her tongue out angrily. Weiss couldn’t help but laugh at the entire altercation, glad to see that Ruby took everything in stride. Before they knew it, they were aboard the drop ship and dropped off into the heart of Vale.

“This is amazing…” Weiss said, captivated by the breathtaking sights. There was so much to take in, beautiful decorations adorned the city in celebration of the holidays with lights strewn across poles while music blared in the town center from multiple musicians playing their instruments with wide smiles.

The scent of fried goods and other foods intermingled with one another in the crisp winter air and the sounds of the hustle and bustle in Vale topped off the atmosphere. While Atlas was its own city like utopia, it was missing this spice and heart that Vale had when it came to their celebrations that caused Atlas to pale in comparison.

“So Princess! Where to?” Ruby asked with a small smile as she shivered slightly, the frigid air obviously nipping away at her. Weiss had wondered why she hadn’t brought a coat with her, though knowing Ruby, it probably skipped her mind in favor of other things. Weiss took a quick look at her wristwatch.

“Our reservation is at 9, and its 8:30, so we’re right on time.”

“Reservation? Where to?” Asked the shivering Rose with a lopsided smile. Weiss nodded in the direction of the restaurant, pale blues meeting curious silvers.

“You’ll see, for now let’s get you there so we can get you something warm. I should have told you to wear a jacket…” The platinum-haired woman admonished herself as the pair started to walk down the crowded avenues of Vale’s market district, when a thought suddenly came to her. This was her chance, her small moment to show some kindness and manners (and hopefully pluck at Ruby’s heart strings). She began to unbutton her coat.

“Here, Ruby…” Weiss gently draped the coat over Ruby’s shoulders, making sure it was nice and snug so it wouldn’t fall off. “Wear my coat. You’re shivering like a leaf… I knew I should have told you to take a coat.” Almost immediately Ruby cuddled into the warmth that the coat provided, though she looked at Weiss with a small frown.

“Are you sure, Weiss? Won’t you get cold too?” Weiss smirked, shaking her head while she began to button the coat up for Ruby.

“Please, I’m from Atlas, it’s always cold over there. This cold is nothing to me, my cardigan is more than enough..” After fastening the last button, she stepped back and nodded. “There. Comfy?” Ruby nodded with a blush and smile, hugging herself to bring a bit more warmth to herself.

“Mhm! Thanks, Princess… It smells like you... It’s nice.”

At that, Weiss felt her heart flutter at the compliment. “O-Of course it does, dolt, it’s _my_ coat after all…” Weiss responded with a shake of her head. _“She looks so cute!”_ Weiss’s inner self grasped onto her heart as if it were melting, feeling her heart strings tug at the sight before her.

“C’mon, Weiss! Don’t we have a reservation, we can’t be late!” Without waiting, Ruby hurried on forward with Weiss jogging to catch up and link arms with her once more, so they didn’t lose each other in the crowd. Here and there Ruby pointed out things she found interesting, some moments it would be food stands with fried foods and baked sweets that she’d love to try while others were little games you could play at a stall to win a small prize.

“Would you like to play one when we finish our dinner?” Weiss offered her partner, though Ruby declined.

“Nah, I’m okay! Thanks for the offer, though. It’s way too crowded around here…” Ruby fell silent shortly after, when a giggle left her with a giddy smile, causing Weiss to raise a singular brow. As much as she wanted to question it, however, she realized that they had reached their destination.

“We’re here, Ruby.” Weiss nodded at the restaurant they were standing in front of. Ruby’s features lit up bright as a wide grin lifted her cheeks… Though that same excitement was ever fleeting.

“E-Esca’s!?” The young Rose exclaimed with widened eyes before she looked to Weiss with a frown. “This restaurant is _way_ too expensive Weiss, we can’t-“

Ruby was silenced by a dainty pale finger resting on her lips. Weiss shook her head with a smile. “Yes, Ruby. We can. As loathe as I am to wave the money card around, I have no worries for expenses… Besides, my date, my rules.” With that, Weiss unlinked her arm with Ruby’s own and stepped into the restaurant, prompting the girl to pout and stomp her foot slightly.

“It was my idea actually!” She heard Ruby yell out before catching up with her. The interior of the restaurant was beautiful, and Weiss knew that just by Ruby’s captivated expression that she had never been inside of the place before. Weiss was aware, however, that she’d heard stories of their amazing decor and food, or more specifically their cookie pudding. Trying their sweets, according to Ruby, was one of the many things she had on her bucket list.

“It’s amazing in here…” Ruby whispered in awe, taking in the sights and decor of the establishment. Silvers glimmered at the beautiful wooden interior design like a child in a toy store, or in her case, a sweets shop. Weiss shook her head with a lopsided smile, tapping Ruby’s shoulder and nodding to the receptionist desk where a waitress was waiting with a smile. Weiss pulled out her scroll and showed the virtual reservation she made to the receptionist.

“Table for two. Schnee.” After ensuring their reservations were legitimate, the Waitress picked up two menus and lead them deep into the restaurant, the scent of the foods and sweets acting as a tantalizing teaser of what was to come. After a short walk, they were arrived at a booth towards the back of the restaurant, secluded from the other patrons.

Two wooden benches were separated by a table sitting between the both of them, a white cloth was draped over it with a beautiful crystal chandelier hanging above, providing a modest amount of light for the booth.

“Here you are ladies; someone will be with you both shortly.” The pair nodded and took their seats opposite from each other. They each glanced at the menu, Weiss opting to go for the salads while Ruby looked at the meatier side of the menu.

“Hm…” Weiss hummed to herself as she perused the options given to her. She wanted to keep her figure, though she knew that tonight was special… _“Then again, I’d rather not upset my stomach while I’m on a date with my crush…”_ With that, Weiss decided it best to err on the side of caution and have a simple garden salad with slices of chicken and a glass of lemon water.

Her gaze shifted from the menu and towards the opposite side of the table, where her date was inspecting the menu with a slightly furrowed brow. Every small squint when she read something small, the tilt of her head while she was in thought and the furrow of her brow when she was conflicted… She had known her partner long enough to tell what she was thinking and feeling just by those small visual tells, and considering how breathtaking she looked for the evening, it was hard for her to take her eyes off of her…

“Weiss?” Ruby called out in a soft voice, snapping Weiss out of her trance as she blinked a few times.

“Y-Yes? What is it, Ruby?” She watched as Ruby placed the menu down onto the table before sliding it off to the side.

“Is everything okay? You were staring…”

 _“Crap, she saw…”_ Wanting to play it cool, Weiss offered a smile while crossing one leg over the other. “Just waiting on you, Ruby. Have you figured out what you like?” Ruby nodded, Weiss called the Waitress over, and the two made their orders. Much to Weiss’s surprise, Ruby orders the same salad, though she opted to have the chicken removed.

While Weiss wanted to question her on her choice of dinner, she knew that Ruby would simply deflect the question. It was obvious that she was being frugal for her sake, and while Weiss wished she didn’t, she knew it came from a good place, and was one of the many things she found so endearing about her partner.

The girls engaged in some small talk while waiting for their meals to come which didn’t take long at all considering the orders they made. Over dinner, they each reflected on the past year, and what their aspirations for the new year were, sharing fond memories and laughter as they enjoyed each other’s presence.

After their meals were paid for, and with a little bit of visible guilt from Ruby, the two ladies left the restaurant and were on their way to continue their night out.

 _“What to do now…”_ Among their talks during dinner, Weiss was trying to figure out what to do next for their date, though she was unfortunately drawing blanks. They could have gone for a movie, but after seeing how nice the festival in the town was, she wasn’t so sure if that was a good idea anymore…

“Hey Weiss?” Ruby called out, pulling Weiss out of her thoughts. Weiss tilted her head as Ruby played with the hem of her skirt nervously. “Umm... Is... it okay if I choose where we go next?”

Weiss smiled warmly while nodding once. “Of course, Ruby. What do you have in mind?”

“Yay! Come with me!” Ruby beamed and clasped onto Weiss’s hand. Before Weiss could ask where she planned on taking her, she was already being pulled through the crowds of the Market District.

_______________

“…You saw the same thing I did, right?” A voice dripping with stoicism asked, the black bow above her head twitched slightly.

“Oooh yeah, I saw ‘em alright! Little sis managed to get herself a date tonight huh?” Yang said with a smirk, she looked to Blake who shrugged in response.

“I’m glad for both of ‘em, but… I wonder who asked who out for a date? Or is this simply just two girls hanging out together…” Yang’s grin started to grow in size over the course of a few seconds, causing Blake to raise a lone raven colored brow. “I’m almost scared to ask, but… What’s the grin for?”

To that, Yang winked before grabbing onto Blake’s wrist. “Time for some reconnaissance!” Without giving her a chance to respond, Yang darted forward, pulling Blake along with her towards her snooping adventures.

“H-Hey, babe! Just leave them be!” Unfortunately for Blake, her protests fell upon deaf ears and joyous laughter.

________________

After being pulled through packed crowds, giving quick apologies to on-goers they bumped into as well as a quick visit to a food stall that sold bite-size tuna casserole cakes to give to Blake later, the couple had finally made it to their destination.

Taking a quick survey of their location, Weiss realized they were standing inside the central park of the Market District in Vale, more specifically, at the waters that separated the branches of Vale from each other. She turned to face Ruby who was had a demure smile on her face.

“Well, we’re here…” Ruby’s voice was gentle, and a little nervous, Weiss noted. She nodded and offered up her own smile, though she would be remiss to not admit that she was also wonder why they were there in the first place…

“Is there something happening here? Or did you just want a break?” Weiss inquired, Ruby’s eyes were pointed elsewhere as she nervously played with the hem of her skirt once more. “Ruby?” She called out to the nervous girl.

“Oh, uh… S-Sorry.” Ruby took a deep breath and then finally met Weiss’s worried blues with confident silvers. “I uh… Have something for you, Weiss.” Ruby reached into her bag and stood stock still for a moment before stepping forward to face Weiss, both of them standing next to the waters facing one another. Weiss tilted her head as Ruby took one last deep breath and took out the long light blue box from her bag, holding it out for her to take it.

“This is for you, Weiss.” Ruby said with a smile aimed towards Weiss, who’s eyes widened in surprise.

“R-Ruby, you didn’t have to…” Weiss mumbled, her features visibly softened as she took the box gently into her hands. Ruby shook her head, still smiling.

“No way, it’s Christmas! I wanted to get you something. ‘Sides, this is a little special. Go on, open it!”

Weiss nodded and looked down at the box in her hands, gently brushing her fingers against the soft material it was made out of. She took her time to untie the bow so it would stay intact before opening the box slowly. A gasp escaped her, her eye widened and her hand covered her mouth. “R-Ruby…”

Sitting inside of the box was a silver necklace with a snowflake carved out of Sapphire attached to the bottom. She slowly took it necklace out of the box and held it in front of her, Ruby took the box from Weiss’s hand so she could examine it more closely. Pale, lithe fingers traced the intricate patterns of the snowflake as she took in every detail, and just by the looks, Weiss could tell this was real sapphire and not the usual imitations, albeit those still looked very pretty.

She knew this _definitely_ cost a pretty penny, not something that someone can just up and buy. Weiss brought the necklace to her chest, holding it closely to her as tears began to well up at the corner of her eyes. She looked up to Ruby who’s smile was bright like the lights surrounding them.

“Merry Christmas, Weiss.” Was all Ruby said, and quite frankly, was all it took for the tears to break free from their prison. Weiss’s cheeks glistened with fresh tears, which Ruby wiped gently as they danced down her cheek.

“Ruby, I-I can’t accept thi-“

“Please.” Ruby interrupted her, bringing her hand away from her cheeks. “Accept it. I uh… Had it made specially for you, so… There’s only one in the world. Kinda’ like you.” Ruby nodded, leaving it at that, and how could Weiss say no when she puts it as such? Weiss wanted nothing more than to grab that dolt and just kiss her all night long, to show her how she felt and what she thought about her..

“When.. Where did you get this?” Weiss inquired amidst a croaky voice and sniffles.

“Ah, well. Remember when I was late earlier? I was sorta busy getting this from the shop I commissioned it at, and the drop-ship was late due to needing a last minute repair. So.. I’d say sorry for being late, but you’re holding the apology.” Ruby snickered.

 _“Ruby…”_ Weiss felt more tears come, this time unabated in their escape. Her heart couldn’t handle everything happening at the moment, it felt as if it were soaring through the sky. She wanted it to be now, Weiss wanted nothing more than to just tell Ruby about all her feelings, but right now was such a special moment… Did she _really_ want to possibly ruin it?

____________________

“Has _either_ _of them_ finally admitted how they feel about one another yet!?” Yang groaned in a hushed whisper with Blake sighing in annoyance. Yang peeped over a bush hidden from view while Blake simply peeped through an opening within the thicket of leaves and branches.

“Let the moment play out, Yang. Have you no idea how romance works? Leave them be.” Blake admonished her lover, causing Yang to scoff at her.

“I am well versed in romance, thank you very much!” Yang defended herself. “Need I remind you how many times Ruby came to me for advice about how to deal with her crush on Weiss?”

“You, well versed in romance?” Blake rolled her eyes while shaking her head. “Coulda’ fooled me with some of _our_ dates…”

____________________

“Ruby…” Weiss started, earning of a hum from her partner in response. _“It has to be now… If not, then when?”_ She took a deep breath to steady her now rapidly beating heart. Was it from nervousness? Excitement? Both? Weiss couldn’t quite tell at the moment, but she was going to ride whatever this wave of affection she’s coasting in is and let it drive her emotions.

“I have something I wa-“

“Oh, It’s time, look!” Ruby turned her head to face the waters while pointing at the sky. Weiss followed her gaze, when all of a sudden, a salvo of fireworks shot out from the distance in the waters, lighting up the sky with beautiful hues and shades along with loud pops in the distance. It left the girls in complete awe. She never expected to have a fireworks show to end the night on…

“It’s beautiful…” Weiss spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, not wanting to break the tranquility of the moment. Ruby nodded with a smile.

“Isn’t it? That’s why I wanted to bring you here. Every Starlight Festival ends with a beautiful fireworks show!… Oh, that’s right, you were saying something! Sorry about that…”

The two turned back to face one another, anxious pale blues met patient silvers, the nerves hit Weiss like a freight train as the reality of the situation dawned upon her. She was about to tell Ruby Rose, her partner, her true feelings for her and pour her heart out to her.

 _“There’s no choice, Weiss… You have to do this.”_ Taking in one final deep breath to calm herself, Weiss finally steeled herself. She may not even like her back, and to be honest, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. This could very well put a huge blemish on their friendship, and Weiss knew that. But she knew she’d regret it more if she had never given it a chance in the first place. Knowing this, Weiss looked deeply into Ruby’s eyes and began to pour her heart out.

“Ruby. I have so much that I want to say, that I can’t even begin to think of a direction to start in, so I’m just going to spew out my thoughts.” Ruby nodded, a small smile on her face while she patiently waited for Weiss to speak.

“On the first day I met you, I thought you were a walking disaster. I felt like I should have put a warning sign on you that told others to watch out and be careful around you, _especially_ with their dust.” Ruby couldn’t help but giggle at the comment, rubbing the back of her head as Weiss continued. “But as fate would have it, we were paired up into a team and… Honestly, I hated it.” Weiss shook her head, hand still holding the necklace to her chest. Her gaze drifted downwards, eyes closing ever so slightly.

“I hated it because I felt like _I_ deserved the top spot, to be a leader and to be considered the best choice, since I always thought that I was the best. Being paired with you at first seemed like a fate worse than death… I really was stupid, the lowest of the low.” Weiss belittled herself, admitting how she truly felt about her past self. Ruby frowned and shook her head.

“Weiss, that’s not tr-“

“Ruby.” Weiss cut her off. “Please.. Let me finish.” Ruby nodded and stood silently, letting Weiss continue.

“Over time, you showed me that not everything is written in stone, nor is success pre-ordained. Just because I was exceptional at what I did, did not make me the best. You showed me that. You showed me that there was always room for improvement, and that it’s okay to acknowledge the faults you have and to embrace them, because that means you can become a better and even stronger person..”

Weiss’s gaze met back with Ruby’s own, a smile spread across her flushed cheeks. “You taught me how to be humble, you taught me how lose with pride, how to grow and look past my pride in order to seek help from others, how to enjoy life and find joy beyond success in academia or in battle…”

A few tears escaped Weiss’s defenses, but she couldn’t find it in her to care. All she could see in front of her behind her tear-stained vision was the girl who helped her become a better person, the girl who taught her so much in life.

“You taught me humility, Ruby.. You taught me that it’s okay to cry when I’m hurt, that it’s okay to be different and that my feelings and desires in life are valid. You helped me break out of the hellish thoughts, beliefs and prejudices that my father had groomed me into always thinking and believing.”

Weiss shook her head as tears continued to stream down her cheeks, and although her vision was blurred by the haze of tears, she kept her gaze locked firmly on Ruby’s own.

“You taught me how to live life freely, not as a Schnee, but as Weiss. You taught me what it felt like to have a family that truly loves you, far beyond simple blood relations.. Most importantly, you taught me how to _love_ , Ruby…”

A small smile managed to spread itself across tear stained cheeks as memories of the times spent together with her, Yang, Blake and even Team JNPR kindled a warmth in her heart that she couldn’t bear to imagine life without anymore…

“Ruby… _I love you._ ”

It had felt like a weight was lifted off of her shoulders, her soul was no longer shackled by her feelings and the grasp that tightened itself around her heart was finally released… It was one. Finally, Weiss had said those three sacred words that had been weighing so heavily on her conscious for so long.

Ruby stood still, staring at Weiss with her mouth slightly ajar as silence befell the two ladies… It didn’t sit well with Weiss. Her eyes shifted to the floor, fear beginning to set into her heart… _“She doesn’t feel the same way, does she?… I knew it was a mistake.”_ As afraid as she was, she _knew_ she had to say something, to at least offset the blow of the coming rejection. Taking a shallow breath, she managed to unearth and draw her voice up from its fear.

“I-I mean… If… You don’t feel that way, then that’s fine-“

“Weiss.” This time, it was Ruby’s turn to cut Weiss off, her hand gently caressed the girl’s tear stained cheek as her thumb ran across it to wipe away the stray tears. Weiss looked up to see a gentle smile spread across Ruby’s features, joy and boundless love twinkling amidst pools of silvers as their eyes locked onto one another. Without another word shared, Ruby leaned forward, closing her eyes as she met Weiss’s lips with her own.

 _“What?...”_ Weiss couldn’t register what just happened in the span of the last few seconds. The moment Ruby’s lips met her own, everything else happening in the world just _didn’t matter_ , so instead, she closed her eyes and lost herself in the moment. The kiss was chaste, yet Weiss couldn’t help but feel a fire burn inside of her. She wanted _more_ of Ruby, more of her love and more of this contact. No, she _needed_ it. Weiss brought her own free hand up to cup Ruby’s cheek gently, tilting her head as Ruby leaned into the kiss.

There was so much emotion being packed into this single kiss that Weiss couldn’t begin to sort through all of them as they flashed by, but all good things had to come to an end, and her very first kiss was no exception. Ruby and Weiss broke contact with one another, the both of them looking deeply into each other’s eyes as both of their cheeks were flushed a red deep enough to make Ruby’s namesake proud.

____________

“Hell yeah! That’s what I’m talkin’ about, go sis!” Yang cheered in a hushed voice, Blake chuckling while she shook her head.

“Reminds you of us doesn’t it? The tears, the self-doubt and… possibly the self-loathing? Not quite sure what else the cocktail of Weiss’s emotions is made of.”

Yang snorted, crossing her arms. “No way, I totally didn’t cry like that, you did!”

To that, Blake shrugged. “I have no regrets. Anyway, let’s go Yang. We should try to make it not look like we stalked them and watched something that should be private between the two. Let’s just bump into them on their way back.” She suggested as she began to crawl away from their hiding area.

“You got it Kitten.” Yang gave a quick nod and followed behind her girlfriend, making sure to be as stealthy as possible as they retreated from their impromptu reconnaissance mission.

____________

“I love you too, Weiss…” Ruby brought her forehead to rest atop Weiss’s as she smiled, a few stray tears now streaking down her own cheek. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to say those words… I’ll be honest, I’m kinda’ both shocked and insanely happy right now..” Ruby’s voice trembled, and Weiss couldn’t help but let a huge grin spread across her cheeks.

“You’re telling me? I’ve been mulling over when and how to tell you for months..” Weiss shook her head as she wiped the tears from Ruby’s cheeks, who nestled herself into Weiss’s hand, getting lost in affectionate pools of icy blues.

“Ruby?” Weiss’s voice was soft and delicate, like she was speaking to glass. Ruby hummed softly, still lost in her eyes. “May I kiss you again?” Ruby shook her head with that same smile on.

“You don’t ever have to ask for that, Snowflake..” Weiss felt her heart melt at the nickname as she closed the distance between the two of them once more, savoring every single second they were together. Ruby wrapped her arms around the small of Weiss’s back with Weiss wrapping her arms around Ruby’s neck. Weiss felt something cold hit her hands, prompting her to break the kiss, much to her chagrin as the two looked up to the sky above.

“It’s snowing…” Weiss mumbled, eliciting a hum from Ruby.

“Looks like it.” She responded with a nod. “I heard there was supposed to be a bit of a snow storm later, so I guess we should head back before the air ships stop their routes.” Weiss nodded and leaned in to give Ruby one last kiss on the cheek.

“Ah, before we go…” Ruby tilted her head, smiling. “Would you like me to help you put that necklace on?”

“Oh, yes, please.” Weiss handed Ruby the necklace and turned around, lifting her hair up so Ruby could easily clasp it on. After a few seconds, and an audible snap, she heard Ruby hum from behind.

“There, done! Let me see, Snowflake.” Weiss turned on her heel, straightening the necklace so it sat perfectly on her neck, earning a smirk from Ruby as she winked. “It looks even better than I imagined on you.”

Smiling, Weiss held onto the necklace softly with one hand while gently holding onto Ruby’s cheek with the other, tiptoeing slightly to kiss her one last time. “I love you… Thank you for this amazing gift, Ruby…”

“And thank you for being such an amazing friend, partner…” Ruby placed her hand atop Weiss’s tilting her head as her smirk turned to a full grin. “And girlfriend… If you’d have me.”

“You dolt…” Weiss shook her head at the question. “I want nothing more than that.” She looked down at the necklace once more before looking to Ruby with a lopsided smile. "I'll be honest.. I've been trying to think of what to get you for Christmas and I'm completely stumped." Ruby couldn't help but laugh, causing Weiss to pout. Ruby shook her head and squeezed Weiss's hand affectionately.

“That’s fine. You gave me the best gift this evening, anyway. I can get nothing from everyone else and still feel like I got the best gift over everyone else.” Ruby winked as Weiss rolled her eyes, kissing her on the cheek as the two set off to return to the drop-ships. They each shared memories of their friendship and how they mutually pined for one another during certain instances, laughing at their shared ridiculousness of the whole situation when suddenly...

“Well, fancy meeting you two here…” A familiar stoic voice called out, the couple turned around quickly only to find their partners Blake and Yang standing together, the former with a smirk while the latter waved with her own beaming grin.

“Helloooo!~” Yang sang out jovially. Ruby and Weiss quickly let go of each other’s hands, though by the way Blake was smirking and Yang was giving a tooth grin, they knew it was far too late…

“Holding hands, huh?” Blake started, still smirking. “Glad to see that you girls grew closer.” Her voice was flat, but the growing smile on her face spoke otherwise. Yang, meanwhile, was already next to Ruby, giving her cheek a look over before looking at Weiss’s lips.

“Someone’s even got a smooch mark on their cheek! Pink, too! I wonder who could have left this…” Weiss’s eyes widened as she looked to Ruby’s cheek, lo and behold, there was indeed a kiss mark smack dab on her cheek in plain sight for all to witness.

 _“Crap! I did leave one on her cheek!”_ Her mind immediately went to work, wondering what she could say to remedy the situation in hopes to save both herself _and_ Ruby from Yang’s endless teasing, when an arm suddenly wrapped around her waist as Ruby pulled her into herself closely.

“That would be my girlfriend who did that.” Ruby stated proudly, the declaration of such bringing to Weiss’s cheeks a strong heat as she blushed profusely, though she leaned into Ruby rather shamelessly all things considered. The black and yellow duo looked to one another in silence for a spell, before smiles crept across their faces as they looked back at the new couple.

“Congratulations you two, I’m glad.” Blake said with a full smile now, Yang nodded while giving her own thumbs up.

“Yep, congrats to the both of you! Now Weiss can stop being a useless lesbian and Ruby can stop being so dense!” The couple rolled their eyes at Yang, already subjected to her teasing. “That said…” Yang stepped in front of Weiss and looked deep into her eyes, the smile gone from her face in virtue of a more serious, tight lipped expression.

“You better take care of her Weiss, you got that?” Weiss locked eyes with Yang and gave a sharp nod. “That goes without saying, Yang. I promise I’ll always do right by her.” With that, Yang wrapped both of them in a big hug with Blake joining in shortly after.

“Then I’m happy as can be. Let’s head home now guys! It’s freakin’ cold out here!” Breaking up the group hug, the team went on their way to the drop-ships to get the next ship back home.

“Oh, that’s right!” Ruby exclaimed, pulling out the paper bag from her tote that held the tuna casserole cakes she brought earlier in the evening. Ruby popped open the bag and held one up. “Blake! Look what I got!” Blake turned around lazily, though as the scent of freshly baked Tuna Casserole cakes permitted the air, her eyes widened, and Weiss could have sworn she saw a small trail of drool.

“A-Are those…” Blake stared at Ruby, obviously mesmerized by the sight…

“Yep! Tuna Casserole Cakes from Milla’s stand! Come and get some!” Ruby exclaimed happily. Not a second sooner, Blake was already on top of Ruby, humming joyfully as she was handed the bag of goods. All Yang could do was laugh at the scene while Weiss shook her head with a smile on her face. Ruby returned to her side to hold onto her hand softly, both girls looking into each other’s eyes lovingly.

“Ready to head home, Snowflake?” Ruby whispered with a grin, Weiss squeezed her hand and tiptoed to kiss her once more.

“Ready, Rosebud.” The blush that adorned Ruby’s cheeks from the nickname was cause for Weiss to take note of using that more in the future.

 _“The future…”_ Weiss thought to herself… Truthfully, she didn’t really know where she was going to be in the future. To her, it was always a blur. She knew she would work as a Huntress, but she wasn’t sure to what capacity. Perhaps she would have settled down and had a family like most others, or maybe she would have taken over the SDC in some fashion and spear headed the company. She truly wasn’t able to tell, for nothing is ever set in stone.

Well, not everything is excluded from that. Sure, she wasn’t certain what the future held in store for her exactly, and were she honest with herself, she was okay with that. She knew now, at least, that she wouldn’t have to face whatever awaited her ahead alone.

She made a wish upon a star, and thankfully that wish was granted on a snowy Christmas Eve. She’d have Ruby right there with her in the future, by her side through it all. Ruby Rose, her partner, her dolt, her confidant… _Her lover._ Any future awaiting her ahead was worth facing head-on, knowing that Ruby would be by her side through it all.

 _“So it seems like there’s a cause for celebration on a holiday, even for me…”_ Weiss mused to herself as she squeezed Ruby’s hand ever so slightly… The two lovers looked to one another once again, sharing a loving, warm smile between each other.

_“Christmas Eve… The day my world became all the brighter and warmer.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading all the way 'till the end! Again, I hope everyone stays safe during these times. Love each other, always.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! It sure is dusty in here, I haven't visited this story in such a long time, though I'm glad to be here.
> 
> I started writing a random Christmas story in spirit of the holidays, and it evolved into a whole new chapter for this story, so I'm glad to dust things off and add something new!
> 
> That being said, in the spirit of cleaning up, I re-wrote the first chapter and fixed A LOT of grammatical errors, spelling errors and POV hopping as well as adding a few things here and there. The chapter doesn't differ too much from its original counter part, so a re-read wouldn't be necessary if you remember the first one, its more for those who stumble upon this humble story for the first time.
> 
> As always, apologies for any weird formatting, grammatical and spelling errors etc. etc. With that, I hope you enjoy!

In the past, Weiss could safely say that there weren’t many holidays that she would look forward to during the year, or even give a passing glance to as they came and went on the calendar. Simply put, they took neither mental nor emotional stock within her mind and heart… That was, until the year prior.

Taking a glance at the calendar on her scroll in the early morning, a warm smile spread across her pale features as she read the date to herself aloud. “Saturday, December 24th… Christmas Eve.” Her heart warmed as she whispered to herself, she sat at the desk in her team’s shared dorm room where she usually studied, toes grazing the carpeted floor as her legs dangled from the tall chair.

Her gaze turned from her scroll to the window in front of the desk, she looked past the frosted pane and towards the snowfall that fell gracefully from the sky, blanketing the windowsill and ground below in a beautiful coat of pristine, crystal white that would make her namesake proud.

In the past, she would safely and without any regard file Christmas Eve as a day to glance over, just like its sibling holiday Christmas, but not any longer. The day had much more significance to Weiss than she could have ever imagined in the past. “It’s been a year now… Ruby and I’s first anniversary.”

Just speaking about it was enough to bring butterflies to her stomach as her heart beat uncontrollably from excitement. It’s been one year! One year of shared laughter, kisses, hugs, and yes, even the occasional face-palm, scolding for waking up late for lessons and disagreement. But what healthy relationship _doesn’t_ have those, Weiss believed, and as troublesome as they could be, she took them with pride as another hurdle passed over by the both of them for the sake of their relationship.

“The question is, what to do…” At that, Weiss was stumped. Much like the year previous, she couldn’t figure out what exactly to get Ruby as a Christmas gift. For her, money was most definitely _not_ an issue, but what had troves of in Lien, she lacked in creativity and sentiment when it came to gifts. It wasn’t like she could simply walk to Ruby and ask her what she wanted, either! Weiss already knew what Ruby had done in way of a gift for their Anniversary, much to her lover’s chagrin.

On a random evening, she happened upon her in the Workshop with Myrtenaster, making a cosmetic change on the hilt of the blade to have carvings of rose petals and roses on their vines swirling around it. Ruby said that it was a way for her to always have her there in battle, even if she wasn’t there in person.

Although Weiss would rather Myrtenaster _not_ have modifications or carvings done on it without her expressed permission, she had to say that the carving job and modification was impeccably done, and provided little to no change in how the sword felt in her hand. It was safe for Weiss to say that she absolutely _loved_ it, and couldn’t get enough of looking at the change when it was finally done. It was a gift from the heart, and one that came easy to Ruby… Something that did _not_ come easy to her.

“C’mon, Weiss, think…” She placed her elbow atop the table and rested her chin in the palm of her hand as she stared outside the window, pursuing every avenue of thought that came to her in a bid to solve the puzzle. _“A new cloak? No, she wouldn’t dare part with the one she has now… A new scope for Crescent Rose? No, no, she’d do that herself if she really wanted one… I already got her a necklace for her Anniversary gift. Hmmm…”_

Her thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt when she heard the muffled sounds of voices behind the door to the room, her gaze shifted from the window towards the source, and after a second, it opened slowly with Yang and Blake coming in, both lost in their own discussion.

“A date around town, huh?… Sounds like a good plan to me, Kitten.” Yang said with a smile as she placed a kiss on Blake’s cheek, bringing a smile to raven haired girl’s features as her ears twitched slightly before they looked forward. “Huh? Oh, hey there Ice Queen! You aren’t with Rubes today?”

Weiss rolled her eyes while shaking her head in response, as par for the course when Yang used that nomenclature to address her… “No, not right now at least. She said she had something to do with Crescent Rose, so I’m fairly certain she’s in the Workshop right now.”

“But it’s your Anniversary…” Blake responded as she sat on her bed with her head tilted while Yang stood beside her with her arms crossed. “You couldn’t at least go out for Breakfast with her? That’s what Yang and I just did…”

To that, all Weiss could do was shrug as she stood up from the seat and sat on the bed opposite of her teammates. “Yes well, you know how Ruby can be…”—She crossed one leg over the other while cupping her hands together on her lap—“Rain or shine, early morning she’ll be up and raring to go if it has to do with tinkering with Crescent Rose.” A sigh escaped her. “I’m personally alright with it, I have more pressing matters to see to at the moment anyway.”

Blake and Yang looked to one another, both had a singular brow raised before looking back to Weiss. “Everything okay?” Yang was the first to break the momentary silence between the three of them.

“I suppose? I’m just stuck on what to get her for Christmas. I’ve been thinking and thinking and I still can’t seem to figure it out. I have our Anniversary gift ready, but for Christmas… I’m drawing a blank.” She blew a few strands of stray snow white away from her face in frustration as she unfolded her legs and propped her elbows on them, cupping her chin in her palms as the three girls fell into a brief silence… Before Yang snapped her fingers.

“…Double date.” Yang suggested aloud, both Blake and Weiss looked to her with a brow cocked upwards as she pounded the palm of her hand with her fist as a smirk spread across her cheeks. “We can go on a double date! You, Blakey, Rubes and of course, yours truly!”

“Huh… That sounds like fun.” Blake agreed with a smile as she crossed one leg over the other. “I don’t think we’ve done that before. The Starlight Festival is tonight, right?” Blake’s yellows linked with Weiss’s pale blues as she tilted her head. “Yang and I were planning on going together to the festival, why not ask Ruby out and join us? I’m certain it’ll be fun.”

Weiss cupped her chin between her thumb and the knuckle of her index finger as she pondered the idea. She had completely forgotten about the Starlight Festival, surprisingly enough to her considering that’s where she and Ruby had shared their first kiss and confessed their love for one another... “I like the sound of that… Do you think Ruby would be okay with it, though? I don’t know if she’d like it to be with just us…”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that.”—Yang started with a wink—“Ruby would _love_ the idea. I’m sure she’d go as far as to call it a ‘Team building exercise’ too, you know how she is… Besides.” Yang’s smirk lowered to a small smile as she crossed her arms.

“Ruby’s… Always been sort of a loner. You saw it yourself when she first got here. Eccentric, bubbly and erratic at times… She didn’t have much friends coming from Patch, so she was always alone. I’m certain that a date with her Girlfriend and one of her best friends would be something she’d really enjoy on her anniversary.”

“I agree.” Blake cut Yang off with a smile. “It would be a good time for her to reflect just how far she’s come, both as a person and a leader.”

Weiss closed her eyes as she ruminated over everything the girls had offered. They were right, and she wasn’t opposed to admitting as such. She knew first hand just how Ruby was at first, and she wasn’t personally absolved of her crimes for treating Ruby the way she did when they first met, something she still felt guilty for to this day…

“…Alright.” Weiss nodded, pale blues revealed behind parting eyelids as her lips curved to a smile. “I would love to spend the evening with the three of us. I still have to ask her if she would be alright with it, so I should perhaps get to that…”

“Sounds good!” Yang punched her fists together in excitement before making her way to the door. “I’m gonna go and figure out what to wear tonight, then! C’mon, Blakey, I’ll need your opinions on outfits!”

“But we already know that you’re just going to… wear…” Blake rolled her eyes as Yang disappeared without waiting for her answer. “I suppose that’s our cue to see to our own responsibilities…” Blake sighed as she stood up from the bed and stretched her arms, Weiss stood onto her own two feet before going towards the closet to get out of her pajamas and into something to wear outside. “By the way, Weiss…”

She stopped in her tracks when she felt Blake’s hand rest on her shoulder, she looked over to see something between her index and middle finger. “A coupon…?” Weiss turned on her heel and took the piece of paper in question as she read what was on it… And almost immediately after, she felt a heat rush to her face as her mouth went ajar.

“You said she may want some time one on one, right?” Blake started with a smirk as she crossed her arms. “Well, I think this place will give you just enough… _privacy_.”

Weiss swallowed thickly as widened pale blues remained glued on the coupon, she blinked hard a few times before looking back to Blake who’s smirk remained lively. “W-Where did you get this, better yet, _why_ do you have this-“ Weiss’s inquiries were nipped at the bud by Blake placing a lithe finger against her lips, her eyes were narrowed as she shook her head.

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to.” She took her finger away from her lips while continuing. “As for _where_ I got it… I’ve went there with Yang a few times.” Blake answered with a nonchalant shrug.

“B-But this is a-“

“Coupon for the Saphiria Inn, yes. A night for two, nonetheless.” Blake answered tonelessly with a shrug, as if the fact didn’t matter at all.

“But the Saphiria Inn is one of the most expensive hotels in all of Vale! Are you certain you want to give this to me? I could simply pay for a night… B-Besides, this is for-“

“An Intimacy Lounge, I’m aware. It’s great, believe me. Comfortable beds, atmospheric lighting, an amazing view of the river from the balconies… And thick walls for people to not be nosey. It’s perfect for when I want to read books.”

If Weiss wasn’t blushing before, she was sure that she was blushing now. It didn’t take much to put two and two together as to why Blake had this, and considering she was giving it to her, Blake could only be insinuating one thing to happen between her and Ruby by the end of the evening…

“It was supposed to be a Christmas gift for you two, a night away for some personal quiet time, but seeing as the timing couldn’t be better… Happy early Christmas, Weiss.” Blake finished with a wink as she turned on her heel and waved to her. “A full night of uninterrupted cuddles, kissing, hugging… Maybe even more? I can’t think of a better gift for a couple.”

“H-Hey! Wait! Blake!” Weiss called out for her friend, though to no avail as she made her way out of the door and off to join her own lover in preparing for the evening… With a frown, she looked back to the coupon in hand, the weight of it becoming significantly heavier as the seconds passed… “Just what do you think we’d be doing there, anyway? You read way too much of those novels.” Weiss mumbled with a shake of her head. “I dunno if we should use this…”

Sighing, she placed the coupon onto the table and quickly made her way back to the closet, trying her best to clear her mind of both what had just happened, as well as the racy thoughts that came to her while she pieced together an outfit to wear outside. She didn’t have time to think about that sort of thing, she had to get herself ready to go out and see Ruby!

__________________

Being a native of Atlas, the cold was the last thing that would bring Weiss any discomfort. That being said, she still counted her blessings that the workshop was located within Beacon Academy, meaning that her trip there didn’t bring her into the winter wonderland that was Vale at the moment. A simple pair of white jeans, a pale blue t-shirt and sneakers was sufficient enough in the heated building when coupled with her own Aura to protect her from whatever nip was in the air.

The trip to the workshop itself was quick too, one ride on the elevator towards the basement and a five minute walk was all it took for her to make it to the room in question. Once arriving there, however, Weiss couldn’t help but notice just how… _quiet_ it was.

Normally, the room blared with a cacophony of chatter and the sounds of handiwork being done by the way of metal clanging or buzzsaws humming, as well as the suffocating scent of smoke and metal (not to mention the wood chips and metal clippings flying about…) It was a chaotic place where some of the best weapons were forged and cared for… And it was the one place Weiss knew to check for her lover, should she go missing at any point in time.

“Ruby…?” Weiss called out as she stepped into the expansive room, looking from wall to steel wall for one crimson-clad beauty… When she finally noticed someone sitting at a wooden table in the corner with a puffy red hoodie on and a pair of black jeans, a cute pout on their cheeks and a pair of headphones plugged into their ears as they read from a book in front of them. “Found you.”

With a smile, she approached Ruby from behind and gently wrapped her arms around her, startling the girl slightly but not enough to bring her to action. “Eep!” A cute yip left Ruby as she jumped in her seat slightly, her hands reached up to hold onto Weiss’s arms as she turned her head to look over her shoulder, only to be greeted by a warm smile. “Oh… Weiss.” Ruby sighed as she removed her earbuds with her own smile. “You scared me…”

“My apologies. I tried to be as gentle as I could, you seemed rather engrossed in what you were doing…” Weiss wasted no time in capturing Ruby’s lips with her own, sharing a chaste kiss with her lover as she leaned into her embrace. “Good morning, Rosebud… Happy Anniversary.”

A loving smile spread across Ruby’s cheeks as she cuddled her head into Weiss’s arms, silvers and blues gazed lovingly into one another. “Hi there, Snowflake, and Happy Anniversary to you too! Guess you got my message about working on Crescent Rose, huh?”

“Yep. Woke up to it this morning.”—Weiss nestled her chin atop the crown of Ruby’s head—“I knew you’d want some alone time, so I thought I’d get some extra beauty sleep and studying done… So, got any work done on your precious baby?”

To that, Ruby shook her head while looking back to the book in front of her as she pulled it forward. “I guess? I didn’t get anything done maintenance-wise, I’ve been spending the morning studying. Theories on weapon-crafting, physics and sciences of dusts, more specifically molecular breakdown of gunpowder when combined with certain dusts and their effects… It’s all boring stuff, but I gotta’ understand it if I’m gonna’ make these upgrades to Crescent Rose.”

Weiss’s brows rose and she blinked hard a few times. Was this the same girl she had met some years ago? Ruby Rose, studying something as dull as the physics of Dust? “Really… I didn’t think you’d be spending your entire time down here studying, call me impressed.” Weiss couldn’t help but compliment her lover, the shock evident in her tone. Ruby, all the while, giggled as she tilted her head upwards.

“To be honest, me neither! I guess studying a bit more is just one of the many positive influences you’ve had on me in my life.”

 _“Ruby…”_ Smiling warmly, Weiss leaned down and captured her lips once more, this time for a deeper kiss that Ruby was all too willing to reciprocate in their brief privacy. It was safe to say that Ruby herself had a _very_ positive effect on her life, in many, _many_ ways, and she never took that _or_ her for granted. Breaking the kiss, the two took a breath as they looked into each other’s eyes.

“And you’ve had many and more on my life, Ruby…” The two shared a brief moment in silence, basking in the warmth of each other’s presence before Weiss continued. “I actually came down here because I wanted to ask you something…” Ruby tilted her head as her smile remained steadfast on her rosy features, and Weiss knew just by that expression alone that she was curious.

“You see, I was ruminating over what we could do for the evening…”—Weiss curled some of Ruby’s black and red locks around her index finger—“…When Yang and Blake brought up the idea of a double date, the four of us going out to the town this evening to enjoy the Starlight Festival. What do you say to that, Rosebud?”

Ruby’s warm smile turned lopsided as the inner corners of her brow rose slightly. “It sounds like lots of fun, but… Are you sure you don’t wanna’ have a one on one date, just the two of us? I assume that’s what you’d want, at least.”

“Being with you for our Anniversary is all I could ask for, Ruby. And besides, a double date with them sounds fun!… If not a little chaotic with Yang being in the mix.” Weiss reassured with her own lopsided smile and a chipper tone as she carded her fingers through Ruby’s short locks. “Of course, that’s only if you’d like to do so…”

“Well… If you’ll enjoy it, then I’d love to!” Her darling rosette chirped with a smile as joyful as her tone, and that was enough to pull Weiss’s lopsided grin to a full smile.

“Sounds like a plan then. Come on, we should go get our outfits prepared for the evening.” Weiss closed the book in front of Ruby and picked it up, but not before placing the bookmark string on the page she was reading. “Knowing you, you’ll end up getting far too distracted and have little time to prepare.”

“What!? That’s not true!” Ruby protested with her signature pout and a pair of knitted brows to match. Weiss, all the while, rolled her eyes and shook her head, stealing a peck on the lips before turning on her heel. She was just too adorable for her to not steal _at least_ one last kiss.

“Come on, Rosebud. If we finish early enough, I’ll help you with the additions to your baby, is that a fair deal?”

“Really? You will!?” Ruby entwined her fingers with hers as silvers shone with glimmers of excitement and joy. “That’s more than fair! Lead the way, captain!”

Weiss couldn’t keep the chuckle from escaping her after hearing and seeing the sudden change in both tone and posture from her lover. _“She’s such an eccentric girl… But perhaps it’s that attitude and spice of life that I fell so in love with…”_ Squeezing her hand slightly, Weiss nodded and lead the both of them out of the Workshop and towards getting their special day started together.

____________________

“Dang, Rubes. Taking another look, you really went all-out with the outfit this evening, huh?” Yang commented with a smile as the entirety of Team RWBY filed off of the air ship after it safely landed in the heart of Vale, where the Starlight Festival was taking place. Ruby smiled as she buttoned her jacket up to combat the nipping evening cold.

“I guess? I couldn’t have done it without Weiss, she helped me get the outfit together.” She linked arms with Weiss, who welcomed the gesture by pulling her a bit closer to herself in a bid to provide her more warmth. Ruby’s opened and closed her mouth a few times before her smile dropped into the slightest of frowns. “Still getting used to the feeling of the lip-gloss and the idea of not touching my eyes, though…”

Practicality and functionality. That was the motto that Weiss often heard from Ruby when it came to her choice in attire. Dresses? A hassle. Make-up? Only when absolutely necessary or for an important event. Heels, or as she refers to them, Lady Stilts? Absolutely not. For her, it was combat boots, stockings and combat skirts (the latter in which, Weiss couldn’t argue.)

“It wasn’t just me, you helped piece the outfit together too. I just did the make-up.” Weiss responded to Ruby’s comment as she took in her girlfriend’s attire. Knowing that Ruby liked to keep things simple, Weiss helped her piece together an outfit to reflect such, starting with a black knit sweater and a pair of black leggings. It helped compliment the red jacket she had on and the pair of black boots that she just could _not_ bear to be parted with.

To keep in theme with simple, she helped apply some black eyeliner and a tinge of black eye-shadow to compliment the ruby red lipstick she picked out as her color of choice. Simple, yet elegant and in line with Ruby’s style along with compliments of a bit of Schnee flair.

Blake hummed while linking her arm with Yang’s, her own attire consisted of a pair of black skinny jeans, a purple long sleeve shirt with a black cardigan and her usual black heeled boots along with her typical purple eyeshadow. “Either way, you look great Ruby, as do you Weiss. Though I suppose elegance and beauty is part and parcel for the Ice Queen.”

Blake complimented with a poke of fun and a wink, earning from Weiss a slight pout that turned into a smile. Unlike Ruby, Weiss didn’t mind a bit of complexity with her outfit, but even she knew that today was supposed to be a day of celebration and fun, and less about focusing on her attire. Thus, she sought after simplicity when choosing her outfit as well.

A white long-sleeved shirt, a pair of white tights that were complemented by a pleated skirt of the same color and a pair of white boots with a similarly colored fur-lined top and a chunky boxed heel made up her choice of attire. For jewelry she decided to wear a pair of tear-drop shaped ruby earrings to compliment the ruby bracelet she wore, looking to add a flair of Ruby’s colors to her attire.

“Yes, well…” Weiss started, pointing her thumb towards Yang. “I can tell Yang truly sought after the most basic of outfits out of all of us.” With that, everyone turned their gaze to the tallest member of Team RWBY. Yang’s attire was… Just about as Yang as it could get, Weiss believed. Her usual bomber jacket, a black and yellow checkered cardigan with a black shirt beneath it, a pair of black fitted pants and her usual pair of knee-length boots.

“What can I say?” Yang asked with her patented cocky grin as she placed one hand on her hip while flexing her other arm. “It’s practical, warm, and I’m the only one who could rock a look like this.” With that, she linked her arm with Blake’s, turned on her heel and began walking towards the myriad of stalls that lined up the streets of Vale. “Come on, ladies. It’s festival time!” Yang hollered out with her fist raised high into the air, eliciting a sigh of fatigue from Weiss and a giggle from Ruby.

“Come on, Snowflake! We don’t wanna fall behind, do we?” She pulled Weiss forward with a smile, bringing a smile to her own pale features as she nodded and followed her girlfriend into the hustle and bustle that was the Starlight Festival.

Beautiful lights adorned each stall on the street, coloring them in a rainbow of colors that complimented the tantalizing scents of both baked sweets and fried foods from all around. The laughter of both children and adults made up the joyful cacophony that was the festival, and the gentle fall of snowflakes coming from above gave both reason for the nip in the air as well as lent itself to the festive spirit that enveloped each attendee, and Weiss was no exception to that.

“Woah…” Ruby stood starry-eyed as she took in the decorations, carnival games and stalls with baked treats that lined up the particular avenue they stood on. Although Weiss didn’t have a penchant for sweets, even _she_ couldn’t mistake the alluring scent of chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa permeating the air around them, though she knew who exactly to pin the blame on for _that_. Smiling, she held Ruby a bit closer to herself and pecked her gently on the cheek.

“Beautiful, isn’t it? Would you like to get a cookie and hot cocoa to warm yourself up? You’re shivering…”

To that, Ruby nodded while holding onto Weiss’s arm a bit tighter in search of further warmth as they both made their way to the stalls. It didn’t take much for Ruby to be pleased thankfully, something that Weiss knew was the opposite for herself. After making an order for a box of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, a large cup of hot chocolate for Ruby and a coffee for herself, the duo found an empty bench to take a seat on for Ruby to enjoy her snack while Weiss sipped on her coffee.

“To think that this many people would come out and partake in the Starlight Festival… And it’s so well organized, different walks of life coming together to celebrate on one day, sharing different cultures from around Remnant with the goal to simply enjoy each other’s company…” Weiss took in the smiling faces of both attendees and stall-owners. “It’s incredible. If only there were this big of a turnout for fundraisers and the like…”

“Well, about that…”

Blake suddenly called out, Weiss turned her head to see both her and Yang approaching with a couple of bags already in the latter’s hand while in the other was a stick of what seemed to be skewered meat.

“The Starlight Festival is actual ran with fundraising in mind. All proceeds go towards helping the needy. The homeless, the less than fortunate whom require assistance…” Blake turned to look at the crowds of people at the different stalls with a smile. “Some stalls are even there to provide food to the homeless, shelters and other places that provide assistance to those in need. I suppose you could call it one huge supportive, festive… well, Festival.”

“Sharing is the holiday spirit, after all!” Yang chimed in with a smirk as she stood beside Blake, Ruby nodded with a smile, popping one more cookie in her mouth before closing the box and putting it in the large red tote bag she brought along with her. Weiss, all the while, gave hums and nods of approval as her gaze settled elsewhere…

Just in the distance, at a stall was a growing crowd of people, all presumably seeming to vie for the top prize… A large stuffed dog that looked very similar to one Zwei… And it was so _cute_ …

“Weiss?” Ruby called out from beside her, she jumped slightly as a gasp left her, her free hand shot to her heart as she looked to her lover with widened pale blues. “Are you okay? You zoned out there…”

“O-Oh, did I? My apologies, Rosebud. I was just looking at that stall over there.”

“You’re totally eyeing that stuffed dog.” Yang interjected with a smirk and narrowed eyes, Weiss snapped her head to look at her with her brows fixed together and her mouth slightly ajar.

“W-What? I was not. I was simply watching the crowd, its size has increased significantly and I grew curious, that’s all.” She responded with a huff and a cross of her arms as she turned her head away, earning a snicker from Yang. The nerve of her to insinuate of such! “There’s no need for me to get such a large, fluffy cute stuffed dog…” Weiss mumbled under her breath as she pouted.

“Is that so?” Ruby suddenly whispered in her ear, Weiss’s eyes snapped to her as they widened in horror. _“She heard that!?”_ Before she had the chance to object, Ruby placed a kiss on her lips, letting out a loud “mwah!” before suddenly hopping up to her feet with a wide smile. “In that case, I’ll go and win that big stuffed dog for you!”

“W-Wait! Ruby!” Weiss quickly stood up and followed Ruby, who was already on her way towards the stall. As loathe as she was to admit it, she could hear Yang’s hollering laughter in the background as the black and yellow duo followed close behind.

Weiss knew that the problem didn’t lie in her getting the stuffed dog, or carrying it around the festival for that matter. Truthfully, Ruby doing such meant the world to her and she’d treasure both the gesture and the gift greatly… But she knew that Ruby had a competitive streak in her, and if she lost, she wouldn’t give up until she spent every last Lien in her wallet if it meant a chance at winning.

 _“Even if she doesn’t mind it, I don’t want her to leave here Lienless…”_ Finally making it to Ruby’s side, Weiss grabbed a hold of her wrist gently and stopped her from moving forward. “Ruby, please wait… You don’t even know the game that you have to play at the stall-”

“That doesn’t matter, Weiss. I’m getting you this dog and that’s that!” She placed another kiss on her lips before she fished inside of her tote bag and pulled out her wallet, taking from it a few notes of Lien before placing them on the table with a smirk. “I want in, Shopkeeper!”

Behind the table was a tall, olive skinned man who was physically built like a tank, but had a welcoming expression that betrayed his hulking image. “You got it, missy.” He responded with a gravelly voice and a smile before reaching behind himself for what looked to be a wooden rifle. “Tryn’a win this for your girlfriend?” He inquired while loading the gun with what looked to be BB’s. Ruby nodded with a smirk while placing her hands on her hips, and although they’ve been together for a year, Weiss always felt her heart flutter at the mention of the title.

“Yep! I’m gonna get her the grand prize!” She pointed to the gigantic stuffed dog right at the top of the stall. “That big stuffed dog!” Ruby declared before rubbing her hands together in a bid to warm them up.

“You sure you can do this, Rubes?” Yang inquired while standing beside her with her arms crossed, each girl staring down the shooting gallery that awaited Ruby.

“The challenge seems pretty tough… Doesn’t look like it gives you much room to make your shot cleanly.” Blake commented while looking at each obstacle that awaited Ruby... In light of all of that, however, Ruby responded with a smirk that matched her bravado.

“I’m gonna’ win, and that’s a promise!”

Weiss shook her head with a smile… She knew Ruby well enough to know how this would go. If there was one thing she admired more than anything, it was her determination to see things through, no matter what. Ruby’s word was to be trusted, and she knew that even in a playful situation such as this, that constant would remain true.

“Sounds like you’re determined, missy…” Cocking the gun, he held the rifle out for Ruby to take with his own smirk. “Here you are. There are three targets. Aim for the bullseye on each one, and only the bullseye. You’ve got four shots. Good luck.”

“Thank you.” Ruby took the rifle in both hands, lifting it up and down before looking down the iron sights of the gun while holding it in position. To anyone, Ruby looked like she was just playing with it, but Weiss knew that there was so much more going on in her head.

As a complete weapon junkie, a fighter and a soon-to-be Huntress, she knew that each action Ruby took was meant to learn something new about the weapon. She was learning how the gun felt in her hands, how much it weighed, her line of sight and how she should lead her first shot.

Taking a deep breath, Ruby turned on her heel to face the gallery in front of her, her brows knitted as a smile spread across her face. “Alright. Let’s do this.” Silvers linked with pale blues as she kissed Weiss one last time. “For good luck.” With a wink, she turned her head back to the gallery and focused intently on the challenge before her.

Weiss felt her heart flutter once more, and by virtue of the sudden heat spreading across her cheeks, she was certain that she was blushing… They didn’t often partake in public displays of affection like that, but Ruby had recently been much more… Upfront and willing to do so. Not that Weiss minded, of course! But still, it was something that she took note of and would surely inquire about later...

Bringing the rifle up into position, Ruby looked through the sights with a calm expression on her face, standing stock still as she stared down the waiting targets... The first of the three targets was simple, nothing was in the way of blocking the sniper and her shot…

_PANG_

The sound of plastic colliding with metal pierced through the chorus of chatter that came from the crowd behind. With little to no effort, Ruby managed to bring the first target down, not to her team’s surprise, of course. After all, she _was_ the team’s marksman. A round of applause came from the crowd around them, causing Ruby to smirk.

“Just two more and Weiss adopts a huge dog.” Yang chortled as she crossed her arms, Blake shook her head with a smile while Weiss rolled her eyes with her hands cupped in front of her, watching Ruby have the time of her life with a smile on her own pale features.

The second target proved to be a bit more challenging just by the looks. The target this time was swaying back and forth, and in its way was a wooden circle with a hole cut out in the middle that the bullet was supposed to go through… A hard challenge for some, but for her Rosebud, Weiss knew that it would be a cakewalk…

_PANG_

Another shot rang through the air, and Ruby had proven her right. With ease, the target was brought down on the first shot, leaving her with two more bullets to take down the final target. Another small round of applause came from the audience while Yang whistled in admiration.

“So you don’t get along well with Zwei Blake, but do you think a stuffed dog would upset you?” She joked with a titter, though that same giggle was reduced to a grunt when Blake’s elbow connected sharply with her ribs, causing her to bend over and favor that side.

“Why did you even bother…” Weiss chided while shaking her head before turning her gaze back to the gallery. The last target seemed to be the hardest one, and Weiss was growing more wary as to whether Ruby would be able to get this particular shot…

The bullseye this time was angled slightly differently than the last, aiming upwards ever so slightly, and standing in between Ruby and that goal was what looked to be a birdhouse with a hole in the middle that was big enough for the BB to go through on both sides…

“Do you think you can do it, Ruby?” Weiss’s voice was barely above a whisper as she stood beside her lover. The confident smirk never left her features, however, and the glint of resolve in those mesmerizing pools of silver hadn’t lost its gleam whatsoever as they looked into Weiss’s own pale blues.

“For you, anything! Stand back, Snowflake.” Stealing another kiss for herself, Ruby looked back to the target and took her position, leaving a blushing Weiss to take a few steps back and give the girl her space to do what she did best, and after a few deep breaths and a nail biting round of silence...

_PANG_

Ruby took her shot… _And she missed_. A few spectators gasped while others fell completely silent, Ruby’s confident smirk dropped for a second as her brows lowered and pulled together before that same smirk came back. “Alright…” Ruby mumbled to herself as she aimed down the sights once more…

_PANG_

Ruby took her second and final shot… And missed once again. The game was over. Ruby lost.

“Ruby…” Weiss murmured as the corners of her mouth drew downwards. She couldn’t help but feel bad for Ruby, she knew how much she wanted to win and the girl’s competitive spirit would definitely be bruised after a loss like that.

Blake tilted her own head while humming despondently as Yang stepped to her sister’s side and patted her on the back in hopes to lift her spirits. “Well, Rubes… That’s how the cookie crumbles. C’mon, let’s go see some other stalls.”

“…Again.” Ruby’s hand balled into a fist, and before either of them could respond, she dug into her tote bag, pulled out her wallet and put another few notes of Lien on the table along with the rifle. “Again!” Her tone was resolute and her declaration was heard as the Shopkeeper let loose a low rumble of laughter while taking the gun in his hands to reload it.

“You’ve got a bit of a competitive streak in you, huh little lady?” Making sure the gun was loaded, he cocked it back once more and held it out for Ruby to take. “Here you go.”

Ruby took the gun into her hands and quickly got back into her usual posture, and as much as Weiss wanted to interject, she knew that there was no point… Ruby was determined, and she _always_ saw her determinations through, for better or for worse.

“Here we go…” Yang sighed while scratching the back of her head. “Say Kitten, wanna’ go get some of those tuna casserole cakes from Milla’s and come back? I think she’s gonna’ be here for a while.”

“I suppose… Will you be alright on your own for a bit, Weiss?” Blake and Weiss met gazes, the latter offered up a smile and nodded towards the spanning avenue.

“I’ll be okay, she’ll get it out of her system before long. See you in a bit, you two.” With a few shared nods and waves, the couples went their separate ways and Weiss returned to watching her girlfriend try and fell the challenge before her, taking a sip of her coffee as she did so.

“…You’ve got quite the woman in your life, little lady.” Weiss heard the low, gravelly voice of the Shopkeeper as he leaned over the table to speak to her. He had a calm expression on as he watched Ruby take down the first challenge with ease.

“My name is Weiss, and hers is Ruby… And yes, she’s certainly something.” Weiss agreed with a smile as the two watched Ruby take aim at the next challenge.

“Can’t begin to tell ya’ how many people step up to my stall to try and impress their partners. To be honest, I think it’s the difficulty of the shootin’ gallery that gets people to wanna’ best it… Garners ‘lots of people every year.”

“So you’re here at every Starlight Festival, then?” Weiss inquired as Ruby made another clean shot, sending a pang through the air as she moved onto the next challenge with a furrowed brow.

“Yep. My pops ran this shop way back when I was still just a kid myself, so it’s a tradition that I run it to raise funds for homeless shelters and Faunus Equality Organizations. We send our proceeds to both Vale and Mantle, where my Ma’ and Pops are both from respectively.”

Another pang ran through the air, and another challenge was bested. All that was left was the last one, the one that bested her in turn. Weiss cupped her hands together at her chest as she watched Ruby take the first shot… And fail once more.

“Tch…” Ruby shook her head as she sucked her teeth, and although her brows knitted in frustration, Weiss knew it was all in good fun. She took her stance again, this time seeming to study the obstacle ahead of her before lining her next shot.

 _“You can do this…”_ Weiss held her breath as she waited for Ruby to take the next shot, the spectators grew quiet as they waited to see if she’d hit the mark…

_PANG_

The BB shot straight through the holes of the birdhouse and landed just a hair away from the bullseye, causing it to bounce off and onto the floor. _“She missed…”_ The inner corner of Weiss’s brows curved upwards as her grin turned lopsided… Ruby lost once again.

Dejected, Ruby placed the rifle onto the table, her head bowed as she looked down with a frown. “Ruby…” Weiss stepped to her side and linked her arm through hers, offering a warm smile as she did so. “Let’s head elsewhere, Rosebud… You don’t want to hog up the stall from others, no?”

“…No way.” Ruby’s voice came out barely above a whisper as she shook her head. “I’m not giving up, Weiss.” Her hand reached into her tote and pulled out her wallet, and from it she took the last note of Lien she had in her possession.

“Ruby, please. That’s the last Lien you h-“

“I made a promise.” Ruby said aloud as she placed the Lien onto the table before the Shopkeeper, who looked at the couple with a straight lipped expression. Silver’s met the Shopkeepers browns as she nodded. “I don’t care if I use every single Lien I have. I’m not going back on my promise, especially with the woman I love!”

Weiss’s heart skipped a beat at Ruby’s loud declaration of such, heat rushed to her face as both Ruby and the Shopkeeper stared silently at one another before he finally nodded and took the gun to reload it. Weiss drew up her voice in a bid to protest amidst the silence. “Ruby, I-“

Before she could get any further, Ruby cupped her cheek and stole her lips for herself, pale blues widened from the sudden contact before they slowly fluttered shut, reveling in the warm sensation of their shared kiss before they broke away with a near silent smooch.

“This time for certain, okay?” Ruby whispered with a wink, causing a lone snow-white brow to cock upward. Ruby’s eyes crinkled as her lips curved to a smile. “I think I figured out this stall’s secret. Trust me?”

Weiss stood silently as she pondered how to answer that. Weiss trusted Ruby with her life, undoubtedly so… But in such a playful situation, she couldn’t help but want to poke _at least_ a little fun.

“That depends on the situation… Sometimes you’re quite brazen and outlandish.” Weiss teased with a smirk while poking Ruby on her nose, she wrinkled the offended part with a slight pout, eliciting a giggle from Weiss. “I’m only kidding, Rosebud. In this particular situation, however… I trust you with every ounce of my heart.” Weiss leaned into her lover, her lips grazed over her ear as she whispered softly to her. “Now go show them why you’re the best shot in all of Remnant.” She placed a kiss on her cheek before stepping back, taking in Ruby’s flushed features and confident smirk.

“Here you are, Miss Ruby.” The Shopkeeper held out the weapon, reloaded and ready to fire with a smirk on his features. “Good luck on your last try.”

Still smirking, Ruby took the gun in her hands while nodding. “Thanks. Pay attention to the third shot, by the way.” As she held the gun up and got into stance, Weiss stepped back and gave Ruby the room she needed to play. This was it. If she failed here, she wouldn’t be able to play anymore, and her ego would definitely be bruised for the evening.

“You know…” The Shopkeeper spoke up once more as Ruby took the first shot almost immediately after, hitting the bullseye clean. “She reminds me a lot of my wife. I met her here at this very stall, many, many years ago. She came around to win her little sister the grand prize, just as your girlfriend is trying to do for you now. That brazen, hard headed attitude… It’s a lot like hers. When she’s out to do somethin’, she’ll get it done, no matter what.”

Weiss watched Ruby clear the next challenge with ease as the Shopkeepers words echoed in her head. Hard-headed, brazen… Yeah, those were two good words to explain her dolt. But she had _so_ many other positive qualities than just that. “Yeah… She’s very much like that. Even if it puts her in a tough spot, she’ll do anything to help those who need it.”

Weiss couldn’t keep count of how many times she’d stick her neck out for the sake of others. From helping others out with training even when she herself was tired, to standing up to bullies like Cardin and almost getting expelled for threatening to beat him for making fun of the scar she had on her eye… You could always count on Ruby to do what she wanted and how, no matter what.

Another bullseye was hit, and Ruby was finally at the last target again. This was it, her final chance… The Shopkeeper stood up straight while Weiss cupped her hands against her chest as the two watched Ruby inspect the gallery.

“You can do it, Ruby… I believe in you…” Weiss mumbled as she held her breath, the crowd of spectators grew silent once more as Ruby aimed towards the wooden ceiling of the stall, causing the Shopkeeper to let free a low hum…

“…She’s got it.” Weiss looked to the man who held a smirk, and before she could ask what he meant, the sound of the BB hitting metal rang through the air.

_PANG_

_“…_ And we’ve got a winner.” The Shopkeeper said before clapping, Weiss’s mouth went ajar as the target was knocked down onto its back… Ruby hit the bullseye straight in the middle, on the third shot just as she called… Ruby won!

“Aw yeah!” Ruby cheered out as she held the rifle up in the air with a beaming grin. “Score one for Team RWBY!” The crowd around her came to life with a round of applause, cheers and a few whistles as Ruby placed the gun onto the table before her, still with the fourth and final shot left.

“Ruby… You did it!” Weiss cheered out, running to Ruby and wrapping her arms around her with a wide smile. Ruby, all the while, couldn’t help but laugh as she wrapped Weiss in a tight hug.

“I told you I’d do it, Snowflake! Never count me out!” Her voice was as cheerful as the grin she had spread across her rosy tinted cheeks, the two lovers looked to one another and shared a quick peck on the lips.

“I believe this belongs to you, Miss Ruby.” The gravelly voice of the Shopkeeper called out as he placed on the table a _huge_ stuffed dog that looked even more like Zwei when seen up close. “The first grand prize winner of the night.”

Smiling, Ruby took her arms from around Weiss and wrapped them around the dog to lift it off of the table, a slight grunt left her as she held it in her arms. “Thank you, Mister!”

“Mind tellin’ me how you figured it out?” He asked while rubbing the back of his head with a smirk. Ruby nodded towards the ceiling of the stall, pointing her finger right at the ceiling where she shot.

“Well, after the last two tries, I realized that the bullet wasn’t able to hit the bullseye right in the middle to knock it down because the bullseye was angled towards the ceiling just a little bit. I saw there was an extra wooden block on that specific support beam of the stall, but nowhere else. That’s when I realized then that the bullet needed to be shot off of _that_ in order to hit the target _below_!”

Weiss looked up at the ceiling, and lo and behold, there was indeed an extra wooden block on the ceiling, just as Ruby said. _“Incredible… I wouldn’t have ever thought about that.”_ It was moments like this where Weiss realized just exactly _why_ Ozpin chose Ruby as their team leader. The amount of care she took when exploring her surroundings, the way she gathered information and made decisions based off of such and the way she kept a level head even during stressful situations…

She knew how loathe she was to admit in the past that Ruby was a good leader, but over time she had grown to respect the decision, sing her praises of such and looked only to support her in her endeavors.

“I see, I see…” The Shopkeeper hummed, he looked to the ceiling while rubbing his chin. “I modeled the last challenge after the one my wife beat so many years ago, and no one has been able to figure it out since then… Until now, at any rate.”

He looked back to the girls with a smile. “My wife beat this challenge the same way so many years ago, and that was the first time we met… It was love at first sight. And now, two lovers came forward and beat it after so many years. Kind of a crazy coincidence if y’ask me.”

Weiss and Ruby both looked to each other, Ruby with her signature grin, and Weiss with her own smile as a pink sprinkled her alabaster pale cheeks. “Well, I guess you can say love conquers all, right Mister?” Ruby commented before turning to the Shopkeeper and giving him a thumbs up. “Thanks for the challenge, I’ll definitely be back next year to give your stand another shot!”

To that, the Shopkeeper chuckled and gave the thumbs up back to Ruby. “Nice pun. Take care now, you two. Enjoy the rest of the festival and Merry Christmas.”

“And you, Sir. Merry Christmas to you and yours.” Weiss bowed to the man, and with that, the couple made their way out of the crowd hand in hand as more people stepped up to take on the Shooting Gallery challenge.

“Ah, man! That feels great!” Ruby said betwixt a sigh. “I thought I was totally gonna’ lose there. That was a big gamble, especially considering that was my last Lien… Oh well! Nothing ventured, nothing gained! I won in the end!”

Weiss herself couldn’t help but sigh at Ruby’s more than blasé attitude at having not a single Lien to her name anymore. “Rosebud, if you haven’t anymore Lien, pray tell how you’re going to afford your Airship ticket back home tonight?”

“…Huh. Wellllll…” Ruby’s gaze shifted to the ground as she stood in silence for a few moments before shrugging with a smile. “…I can walk back to Beacon! These legs were meant for walking’, and that’s exactly what they’ll do!”—She stepped towards Weiss while holding the dog out for her to take—“Enough about that though! Go on, Weiss. Hold our child…”

“O-O-Our child!?” Weiss stammered as she felt the heat rush to her cheeks tenfold.

“Mhm! He’s our adopted child now! What should we name him? How about Zwei the Second? He _does_ kinda’ look like him!”

She chirped with a grin that melted Weiss’s heart… Oh, how could she say no to that smile… She reached out and took the large stuffed dog into her hands, and immediately she noticed just how _soft_ and _fuzzy_ it was. _“It’s so cute…”_ Clearing her throat, Weiss drew up her voice. “Z-Zwei the Second is fine, I suppose… As a temporary name.”

Ruby stepped to Weiss’s side and wrapped an arm around her waist, the warmth she provided was _very_ welcome. “I’m certain we’ll find an even better name for our child.” Giggling, Ruby stood on the tip of her toes to plant a chaste kiss on her cheek. “Oops, I left a lip stain… Darn lip gloss.”

Weiss rolled her eyes with a smile. “You dolt. I don’t mind, though… Thank you Ruby, for winning this for me…” She held the dog closer to herself, her smile lowered as her eyes closed half-way. “It really means a lot… As a child, I was able to get anything material I wanted, but… Nothing ever felt special, or like there was any feeling put behind it. Knowing how hard you worked for this and how determined you were…”

She squeezed the stuffed dog as she fought back the tears that were threatening to pool in her eyes. “It… really means the world to me. So thank you, Ruby.”

A smile was all Ruby responded with before ruby red glossed lips met Weiss’s bright pink own, they shared a tender, albeit brief kiss before the two broke away… _“Now it’s my turn to give you something special…”_ Weiss mused as she felt the weight of the box in her purse become significantly heavier.

“That being said, however…” She held out the dog, or their child it would seem, with a smile to ensure her lover that nothing was wrong. “There’s something I would like to give you as well…”

A lone black brow rose upwards as Ruby took the doll in her hands, tilting her head in curiosity as Weiss brought her purse around to her front, popped it open and sifted through its contents before procuring from it a black suede jewelry box. “If you believed that I wouldn’t have something for you this evening, then you’re sorely mistaken…” She held out the box with a warm smile for Ruby to take. “Happy Anniversary, Ruby.”

“Weiss… You didn’t have to…”

“Nonsense, it’s our first Anniversary ever. Now give me Zwei the Second so you can open this…” Exchanging the two items, Weiss held the dog closely to herself as she watched Ruby pop open the box. Her lover gasped aloud, her hand shot up to her mouth, hovering over her lips as she looked down at the contents of the box.

“Weiss…” Silvers met pale blues as her lips curved at the corners to a loving smile. “It’s beautiful…”

Weiss’s heart warmed at the reception of her gift as she watched Ruby pull from the box a beautiful necklace. She held it up as she inspected the design of the pendant itself, it was a ruby gemstone carved into a beautiful rose, and entwining with that rose was silver that was carved into a snowflake, both shimmering beautifully in the light pouring down from above.

Ruby brought the necklace close to her heart as she looked at Weiss, tears glistened in the corners of her now glassy silvers as she closed the distance between the two of them. Ruby cupped Weiss’s cheek with her free hand as they both kissed one another, this time far more deeply than Weiss had anticipated.

While it was possible for on-lookers to watch them kiss each other so passionately… Weiss just couldn’t find it in herself to stop Ruby, nor could she find an ounce in her being that cared about what other’s thought about them doing such. Right now, at this moment, all Weiss was able to focus on was how deeply and madly in love she was with the woman before her, and how happy she was that she enjoyed the gift.

After a few seconds, the two ladies broke the kiss with a nearly silent smooch, tears now flowed freely from Ruby’s eyes as she cuddled her face into the crook of Weiss’s neck. “Thank you so much, Weiss… It looks so beautiful.” Her voice came out hoarse as fresh warm tears stained her neck.

“I’m glad you think so… I ruminated over what to get you for a while, and this is what I came up with. I thought that you could use a pretty necklace yourself, just like the one you gave me a year ago. Truly, I’m glad you enjoy it so. Now…” She gently pried Ruby off of herself as she sniffled, Weiss procured a handkerchief from her pocket and gently wiped the tears away from Ruby’s eyes and cheeks. “Let’s wipe these tears, your make-up will run if we don’t…”

“Uuuugh….”

Weiss heard a groan from behind herself, her head snapped to look over her shoulder, only to find one pallor Xiao Long, walking forward in a slump with her hand on her stomach while Blake had her hand resting on her back.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get you home and find some medicine…” Blake looked to the both of them with a lopsided smile. “Hey girls. I think our date will have to be cut short… I’m not sure what Yang ate, but she suddenly feels nauseous and has a really bad stomach ache.”

“I-I’m sorry, girls… You can stay if you want.” Yang groaned as her other arm rested over her stomach, she winced in pain as a yelp of pain left her.

“Nuh-uh!”—Ruby shook her head—“The double date began with us together, and it’ll end with us taking care of you together, as a team!” She responded in a hoarse voice, letting free one last sniffle before wiping her cheeks with her sleeve. “Guess we should all head home for the evening, huh?”

“Seems like it.” Weiss responded with a lopsided smile before placing one last kiss upon Ruby’s forehead. “I love you, Ruby…” She whispered against her skin, earning a giggle from her lover.

“I love you too, Snowflake. I wish we could spend a bit more time together alone, but… Maybe another time?” Ruby spoke in a hushed whisper with a glimmer of hope in her eyes… And the weight of the coupon in her purse that Blake had given to her earlier had nearly increased tenfold in Weiss’s mind from the sight of such… She _could_ offer Ruby that chance, but…

 _“No.”_ Weiss decided against it. There would be so many other moments where they could spend time together, be it alone, at that ‘intimacy lounge’, or with their two best friends… For now, there were far more pressing matters at hand, like Ruby said. “That would be lovely, Rosebud. Let’s put the necklace away for now and get your sister and our new child home, hm? I can help you put the necklace on when we get home.”

“Sounds like a plan, mama!” Ruby chirped, kissing Weiss once more on her lips before looking to her with her signature grin, the nickname brought a flush to Weiss’s face that she _knew_ she couldn’t fight back. The two turned on their heel to face their friends, Ruby linked her arm with Weiss’s as the latter held the stuffed dog closely while they joined Blake and Yang on the walk towards the air ships back to Beacon. “Let’s head home girls, Operation Take care of Yang is a go!”

“Oh, look at that!” Blake started with a smile. “Looks like Ruby got you the stuffed animal, after all.”

“T-told you she wanted it…” Yang croaked from the side as she rubbed her stomach, Weiss all the while rolled her eyes with her own smile spread across her still flushed cheeks.

“It only cost her every last bit of her Lien, but…”—She cuddled both Ruby and the doll closely to her—“Yes, my Rosebud kept her promise. I’ll be covering her ticket back home.”

“Sounds like you both had a good time.” Blake smiled while wrapping her arm around Yang’s waist. Ruby nodded jubilantly while pumping her fist in front of herself.

“I got to keep my promise, totally beat a carnival game and get my Snowflake the top prize! I had a blast!” She looked to Weiss with a grin. “What about you, Snowflake? Had lots of fun?”

Her? Well, that was obvious, of course she had fun! Even if the date was cut short and they had to return earlier than expected, she was able to spend time with Ruby, see her have fun at the Starlight Festival and even give her the gift and share a tender moment with her… Even if they weren’t able to spend time alone together, be it at the festival or in some sort of fancy intimacy lounge at that hotel, the day was perfect for Weiss, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Smiling warmly back at Ruby, Weiss captured her lips for her own once more, this time for a chaste kiss before resting her forehead gently atop hers. Pale blues waded in pools of affectionate silvers as Weiss spoke in a gentle tone.

“Today was incredible, Ruby… After all, I was able to spend it here, beneath the snowfall and stars with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading all the way to the end, I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Writing romance is too fun and I think its quickly becoming a guilty pleasure of mine... Maybe I should only write romance?
> 
> I want to wish each and everyone of you a happy and safe holidays during these times! Be well and kind to each other, love each other and watch out for one another, and as always, take care of yourselves!
> 
> Happy Holidays!


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